Mayoral candidate David Chiu greeting Roman Stepanyuk as he picks up his sister at Alamo Elementary School in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, November 7, 2011.

Mayoral candidate David Chiu greeting Roman Stepanyuk as he picks up his sister at Alamo Elementary School in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, November 7, 2011.

Photo: Liz Hafalia, The Chronicle

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Supervisor Sean Elsbernd attends a Board of Supervisors meeting at City Hall in San Francisco, Calif., on Saturday, Jan. 8, 2011.

Supervisor Sean Elsbernd attends a Board of Supervisors meeting at City Hall in San Francisco, Calif., on Saturday, Jan. 8, 2011.

Photo: Paul Chinn, The Chronicle

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2 supes want Muni to ease up on baby-stroller limits

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About a year after the 2010 U.S. Census figures showed San Francisco is losing families with children at an alarming rate, City Hall has its first piece of legislation written specifically to address family flight. Supervisors David Chiuand Sean Elsbernd on Tuesday proposed legislation telling Muni to get its act together when it comes to baby strollers.

It may seem like a small thing, but Muni's rigid policy about baby strollers has been a longtime gripe among parents. Currently, it's up to the bus driver's discretion about whether to allow a stroller on board. (Imagine the outcry if that was the policy for wheelchairs.) If it is allowed, the baby must be removed and the stroller must be folded up. The policy also prohibits parents with strollers from using wheelchair lifts and "special ramped platforms" for boarding a bus.

Oh, and if a parent does manage to climb on board clutching a folded up stroller in one hand and a baby in the other, he or she is given no priority for the seats at the front.

Chiu and Elsbernd are "urging" Muni to consider permitting unfolded strollers on board as long as they're not blocking the aisle, the wheels are locked and babies are strapped in. They also want parents with strollers to be allowed to use wheelchair lifts to board buses and to receive secondary priority for the prime seats after seniors and disabled people.

Paul Rose, spokesman for Muni, said the agency will "take a look at the current policy and use these discussions to determine the best way to move forward."

- Heather Knight

An artistic touch: While high-rise buildings may make a striking impression on San Francisco's downtown landscape, they can now contribute to city aesthetics in a different way.

For any new development project or addition of more than 25,000 square feet to an existing building in downtown commercial districts, developers are currently required to spend 1 percent of the construction costs on displaying public art.

Under legislation passed on first reading by the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, developers behind nonresidential buildings will now have the option of contributing all or part of that fee to a new city fund that will support public art.

Sponsored by Mayor Ed Leeand Supervisor David Chiu, the legislation would apply to developers who submit a complete development application starting Jan. 1, for designated parcels mostly downtown.

The new Public Artwork Trust Fund would support the creation, installation, exhibition, conservation, preservation and restoration of temporary and permanent public art and capital improvements to nonprofit art facilities in, or within a half-mile of, the district where the development is located.

At Tuesday's Board of Supervisors meeting, representatives from the Nob Hill Coalition and the venue announced a truce: a maximum of 54 live entertainment events, not 68, and of 176 non-live entertainment events, not 219. There would be no limits on the number of events with 250 or fewer attendees. The supervisors approved this agreement 11-0.

But the Nob Hill Association stayed out of that deal. David Harmer, the group's vice president of public affairs, said he still wants to see the venue hold fewer events. He and neighbors cite concerns including noise, parking congestion and traffic.

Still pending are lawsuits against the venue's plans to expand to include more seating and bars.